Quiraing, Isle of Skye

The Quiraing is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in Scotland — part of the Trotternish Ridge on Skye, formed by Britain's largest and still-active landslip, its towering cliffs, hidden plateaus, and strange rock pinnacles feeling more like a fantasy film set than a natural landscape.

The route starts from the car park at the summit of the minor road linking Staffin and Uig — large but prone to filling by mid-morning in summer, with additional parking further along the road towards Uig if needed. From the car park, a path heads north below the steep cliff face of the escarpment, signed towards Flodigarry, with superb views ahead to the Quiraing and back along the ridge — this stretch is often very busy, though the crowds thin out later on. The clear path runs across steep slopes, rocky in places, with one small scramble across a gully requiring care, before gaining height towards the gap between the main Quiraing cliffs on the left and "the Prison" — a complex, multi-summited rock feature — on the right.

Passing beneath the distinctive rock spire known as "the Needle," the path continues round the landslip, with views opening down onto the Table — a flat, grassy plateau hidden among the pinnacles, reputedly used centuries ago to conceal livestock from raiders, and reached only via a steep, loose scramble not recommended for the average walker. Beyond, the route climbs steadily up onto the top of the Trotternish Ridge itself, a demanding but rewarding pull with ever-improving views over the northern tip of Skye, Staffin Bay, and across the sea to the Torridon mountains on the mainland.

From the ridge top, the path follows the escarpment edge — sensational, if occasionally vertiginous, views down over the landslip below — before descending, sometimes steeply and boggily, back down to rejoin the outward path near the start and complete the circuit.

This is a moderately challenging circular walk, around 6.5 kilometres and taking two to three hours, with narrow, uneven, and occasionally muddy paths throughout — the full loop should only be attempted in clear, calm weather, since wind and poor visibility make the exposed ridge section genuinely hazardous.

Parking at the Quiraing is chargeable; a seasonal bus service (57A) runs from Portree, with the closest stop at Flodigarry Road End, a short walk from the main car park.